NO GOLDEN EGGS FROM WOUNDED GEESE

Following the April 5 defeat of the proposed amendment to expand the limits of riverboat gambling, a press release from the General Assembly was headed: "Education Funding Loses $68 Million." These funds were "earmarked exclusively for education in the state of Missouri," one legislative official noted with sadness, and in effect, "opponents have succeeded in killing the golden eggs while only wounding the goose."

That's one way of putting it, of course, but before anyone rushes to condemn some half-million voters for rejecting slot machines and other so-called games of chance, it might be instructive if we approached the problem from a different perspective.

Webster defines the verb "loses" as "to suffer the deprivation of" or "to lose control of" and in this sense, the state has survived countless sessions of the General Assembly that deprived education of adequate funding, with barely a wisp of apology from the membership. As for the second meaning of the verb, it probably would be wise to note that our state government never really had control of $68 million but was simply anticipating the receipt of this money from gaming levies.

Be it also noted that if legislative leaders have become so concerned with revenue losses, they might console themselves somewhat by adding up the millions of dollars that have been spent by the taxpayers to hold two elections on casino gambling in less than two years. And that's not counting the additional millions that will be spent yet a third time as gambling forces muster their muscle to submit the issue once again to the voters.

While it may be technically correct to say the state has lost $68 million, even though not one dollar has yet been raised, it would be factually correct to claim that thousands of Missourians have saved many more times this amount by not losing their paychecks on gambling boats that may, or may not, have to churn the waters of the state's two great rivers.

For the state to collect $68 million for education, it is necessary for Missourians to spend at least $1 billion of their own money or money they have removed from savings or college accounts. While the state revenue is sizable from levies enacted on gambling companies, the amount of money from ordinary citizens required to raise these funds is many times greater.

The golden eggs in this matter are owned not by the state or the taxpayers but by the owners of gambling firms, who have suddenly become avid Missouri citizens and boosters, but who want a sure thing before betting on doing further business in the state. Offering to build elaborate riverside facilities in communities where gambling has been approved is not the mark of good citizens but smart investors. If you can invest a small amount to reap a large amount, you do not automatically become a philanthropist, despite whatever claims might be made by company officials and their paid hacks.

Missouri education might not now be suffering "losses" of $68 million had the very first proposal in 1992 been correctly submitted by members of the General Assembly. Although the state Constitution specifically outlawed gambling and games of chance, legislative sponsors of the 1992 proposal chose to submit the issue as a referendum rather than an amendment that would have changed the wording in the Constitution. For those who might not realize it, provisions in the Constitution cannot be amended or eliminated by a mere referendum but require approval by amendment of the sections in question.

Following approval of the referendum in 1992 when the constitutionality of it was questioned in a law suit, many lawmakers felt certain the Missouri Supreme Court would question the legal path that had been taken. They chose, however, to delay correcting their original error and simply to hope for the best from the court. This delay, in effect, "lost" millions of dollars for education, and it was not the fault of the half-million voters who were against Amendment No. 3 earlier this month.

Education need not "lose" the $68 million that Gov. Carnahan recommended for education in the next fiscal year if legislators respond by cutting appropriations for less important activities. Members could start with some of the special privileges they have approved for themselves, such as Christmas cards for their constituents, and then extend to unnecessary expenses for surplus employees, needless new state buildings, out-of-control computer purchases and scores of other unneeded appropriations that detract from adequate education funding.

We'll give casino house odds that no other golden eggs are broken by our stricken legislators to replace the state's "losses" to education in this year's session.